A/N: To everyone still following along, thank you, it truly means a lot. There's still more to come, so I hope you enjoy the rest of this story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

"Who'd've thought Nara's plan would actually work?" Kankuro laughed, downing the rest of his pint.

"I did bag a smart one," Temari smirked. Shikamaru grinned sappily at her.

"How about we all go get a drink this evening?" Kankuro suggested. "It's a big day, after all."

"You've already had a few beers over this meal," Temari said sceptically. "I don't think you'll make it to the bar in a few hours."

"Temari's right," Gaara nodded. "You should take it easy, Kankuro."

"My poor, unfortunate little brother," Kankuro cried dramatically, clutching Gaara's shoulder. "You haven't lived yet! Always so sensible and Kazekage-esque. Temari, I think it's time we showed him the world!"

"Well, I would like to see Gaara drunk..."

"Temari!" Shikamaru interjected.

"What?" she asked.

"I don't think it's a good idea to get the Kazekage hammered," he mumbled. He was being partially truthful, but for the most part he simply wasn't sure whether he was ready to witness both of Temari's brothers intoxicated in one go.

"I've told you before, Shikamaru, call me 'Gaara'," the redhead insisted. "And anyway, Kankuro is right. It's an important day."

Shikamaru looked at him with confusion and surprise in his eyes. "You're going to drink?"

"Not to excess," the Kazekage clarified. "But it is good practice for me to get used to some sake every now and again. After all, it's customary, for me to share a drink with important figures during events and after meetings. Turning twenty in the last year has somewhat disadvantaged me when it comes to our occasional Kage dinners."

Temari rolled her eyes and whispered to Shikamaru, "He's gonna get smashed." Shivers shot down her boyfriend's (apparently fiancé's) spine.

"Man, your standard drinks here are so boring, Nara. Where are the million-combo cocktails?"

"I'm sorry our alcohol isn't exotic enough for you, Kankuro-san," Shikamaru smirked. "Although I think you should hold off on the strong liquor for everyone's sake."

"What's with the stick up your ass, Nara?" Kankuro laughed. "Drop the '-san', we're practically family now. Or at least, we will be soon. Har har!"

"You're the worst kind of drunk," Temari grumbled. She turned to her other, much more sober brother. "Anything take your fancy, Gaara?"

He was examining the drinks list carefully. "If I'm honest, I don't know what any of these beverages are."

"That's alright. Let your dear elder sister get you started," she grinned. "Bartender, can we get a round of tequila shots please?"

"Tequila?!" Shikamaru hissed, exasperated. "That's your starting drink?"

"I don't know what the protocol is for you pretty boys in Konoha, but in Suna, it's go hard or go home," she retorted smugly. "Besides, at the end of the day, he's only twenty. He's already grown up too fast, becoming the Kazekage at fifteen and all that. Tonight is when he gets back those years of stolen youth and blackout drinking."

He shook his head in defeat. "Thank God we're not siblings."

"Very fortunate indeed," she grinned. "Otherwise we wouldn't be able to do this."

She pulled him by the collar and kissed him passionately, until they were both out of breath and Gaara's face had turned bright red.

"Sorry," Shikamaru coughed. "Momentarily forgot we had company."

"And he's not even drunk yet," Temari chuckled in Gaara's ear. "This guy's pretty hilarious when he's gone. Doesn't help that he's a bit of a lightweight, too."

"Oi," Shikamaru cut in. "Just because you're a raging alcoholic!"

"Nara!" Kankuro snapped, his body language wild and exaggerated thanks to his very apparent intoxication. "That's my SISTER you're talking about!"

"Right, my bad," he muttered. The tequila couldn't get here fast enough.

Temari smirked. "This is great. We should do this more often."

"Yep," Shikamaru affirmed as he observed the drunken states of both of Temari's brothers. Kankuro had just fallen off the bar stool and Gaara was clumsily helping him up, only to half-collapse on top of him. "I am so glad not to be your sibling."

"Remember when Kotetsu told us we seemed like brother and sister?" Temari giggled, then made a gagging noise. "I can still recall the brief look of horror that flashed across your face. Now I know why!" The ebullient cackle that escaped her throat was evidence of her own descent into inebriation.

Shikamaru grumbled, though his mouth couldn't help but break into a grin. "Well, I have no idea. Who'd ever want to date such a troublesome woman?"

Her jaw dropped in mock offence and she set her drink down on the counter. "Don't lie, Nara. You were obsessed with me since day one."

"Mm," he murmured, fumbling to pull her onto his lap. "Mm...maybe." He kissed her hungrily, nipping at her ear, jawline and neck in the process, although she kept teasing and shifting so that he never made any satisfying contact.

"Tem," he growled, gripping her waist in an effort to stop her games. "I want you."

Somehow, alcohol had made him ten times more direct than usual. It surprised her, and she felt her face grow hot with embarrassment and self-consciousness.

"I've wanted you since day one, and I want you now." His eyes connected with hers, and she saw not lust in them, but a deep, genuine love for her.

"Don't look at me like that," she mumbled, dropping her head so that her hair brushed against his chin and shirt.

"Why?"

"Because I'll believe you," she said simply. "And we both know what you just said is a lie."

He frowned. "Eh? I've never said anything closer to the truth. Don't people get more honest when they're drunk, anyway?"

"Shikamaru," she said sternly. "We were twelve and fifteen when we first met. You don't really expect me to believe you thought of me in that way, at that age?"

"Well, maybe I didn't want you, but I did want to get to know you," he corrected himself. "Although a few years after that, the wanting started," he winked.

She raised an eyebrow, hooking her arms around his neck. "Is that so?"

"Not that I'd ever admit it to myself or anyone at the time," he mused. "But I wanted you then. And I want you now. How much clearer can I be?"

"You're drunk and incoherent," she laughed. "Tell me that again when you're sober, and maybe I'll take you seriously."

"Fine," he muttered, trailing kisses along her neck.

"NARA!" Kankuro boomed from a few feet away. "Get the hell off my sister!"

"Easy does it," Temari said softly, lowering her drunken boyfriend onto the guest bed. "And that's number three," she exhaled, reflecting on how troublesome it was that she ended up taking care of the idiot men in her life tonight.

"Tem, you're so pretty," Shikamaru smiled, eyes wide and unfocused. "Do people tell you how pretty you are? Because they should."

"Shh," she hushed him. "And yes, I get it all the time from guys," she said casually, anticipating his reaction.

"What?!" he sat up suddenly, nearly headbutting Temari in the chest. "No. Not allowed."

"So you want me to know I'm pretty, without anyone ever telling me?"

"It's about the intention, Tem," he said emphatically. "Any suitors should know that you're mine."

"Now that's where you're wrong," she replied matter-of-factly. "I am everyone's and no one's."

"Yeah, yeah, Temari is an independent woman," he almost sung. "Even so, I hope one day you do actually agree to marry me, troublesome woman."

"Play your cards right and it may be a possibility," she chuckled, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Hands-on, I like it," he grinned, leaning in to kiss her. She rolled her eyes and moved one hand to slap it over his mouth.

"I'm just getting you ready for bed, idiot," she said. "Don't get any ideas."

"Hmph," he frowned, but caught her eyes wandering to his toned chest as she gradually exposed more of it with each undone button. "I just hope you have some self-control."

She blushed madly, then scooted away from him to the end of the bed. "You know what? You can change your own clothes, asshole."

"Don't be like that, Tem," he cooed, reaching an arm pathetically towards her. "Help me, please? Pleeeeease?"

"Just shut up and cooperate," she grumbled, pulling his arms out of the shirt and tossing it to one side. She took a deep breath before undoing his belt and sliding his trousers off. He's drunk, you're helping him out. He should be the embarrassed one.

"Like what you see?" he winked.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

She walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a spare t-shirt and some sweatpants. She threw them towards him and said, "Put these on."

"Aren't you gonna do it for me?"

"Not a chance."

She turned towards the window, opting to concentrate on the few stars that were scattered across the sky so to keep her mind from wandering. She knew if she stared at, or even thought about, his half-naked body for more than a few seconds, she would turn bright red. Then she heard muffled complaints and the restless tugging of fabric and knew she'd have to look at it sooner or later.

He'd gotten his head stuck in the t-shirt.

"You're an idiot."

She went and sat on the side of the bed, twisting her body so she could face him and tug the shirt over his head. As he successfully slotted his arms through the correct holes and his ponytail emerged through the top, his eyes caught hers. And within a moment, his lips had done the same.

"You taste like cheap alcohol," she mumbled against his mouth.

"So do you."

She pulled away from him and stood up. He tried fruitlessly to hold onto her, but he lacked both the energy and mental capacity to do so.

"When you're sober, Nara," she reminded him, moving over to the window. "See you in the morning."

"Stay," he insisted.

"No," she refused. "I'm not taking any risks." It had become apparent to her after this whole fake-engagement fiasco that they were both prepared to take their relationship even further, but not like this. Not when he was in this condition and her head was also a little hazy.

"I'm gonna fall asleep in five minutes," he reassured her. "I'd just rather you be next to me when that happens."

She smiled. Even smashed, he could still be somewhat sweet.

"Whatever." She slid under the covers and curled up against him. He pulled her close and breathed in her scent: hot, musky, perfectly Temari.

"Together at last," he murmured into her hair.

"About damn time," she whispered triumphantly.